Updates on this life we live--milestones, photos, good times, hard times, and these beautiful days we have together.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A Special Christmas

We expect Christmas of 2009 to be the last one at "the house". Mom's house. The house that is "home" for me even though I did not grow up there. It is the place that resembles her most because it is what she always wanted. It looks like her, smells like her, and feels like her. It's where she was most herself. And the place where, with her family surrounding her, she passed from this life into glory. That is the house that will always be etched into my heart as home.

Because of this, it was all the more important to me to make it HOME for Christmas.

I was pretty certain it would not happen, when I heard about the horrendous snow storm coming. We had decided (b/c of last year's experience) that we could not make the trip if the weather was looking bad. So when Insoo called to tell me that at the very last minute, he had actually taken one extra day off, due to my rambling and pleading voice mail message begging him--could we please, possibly, maybe, by any chance leave town one day early to beat the snow storm, tears streamed down my face. We would be making it home for Christmas.

Then followed a roller coaster of emotions when it looked like Joel and the Hydeens would NOT be making it home! But in the end, due to determination, brave people, slow driving, and God's protection, we were all together--Dad and Judy, us 5 kids and our families and 2 dogs, to celebrate Christmas in that place, probably for the last time.

And, for me, everything was perfect. I tried to savor every moment. I didn't get as many photos or videos as I had hoped, but I got enough. I felt like I found the balance between wanting to document, and just enjoying.

I really want to share the little details here, but it would be a really long post in this format. So if you would, please see the photos & captions on my picasa Christmas Abum.

Because it may look similar to Christmases past...but it really was a special one.

2 comments:

It was great to see all the Christmas pictures Ang-I savored them and remembered all the memories I have of your "home". It was a very special place for me too-wonderful times together and sad times. So glad you made it safely there and back in the snowstorms..